TWO BOUNCERS were “foaming at the mouth” with “bulging eyes” and looked high on drugs as they attacked a group of teenagers out celebrating a birthday, a court heard.

Liverpool magistrates’ court heard evidence against Philip Church and Simon Fortune, both 32, on the second day of their trial for assault.

Kevin Yanez, a Merseyside Police officer who attended the scene outside the now closed Metropolitan Bar on Berry Street, Liverpool city centre, in the early hours on June 13, said Church, of Little Heath Road, Speke, was “lashing out indiscriminantly”.

He told District Judge Richard Clancy: “Two males (Church and Fortune) were foaming at the mouth and their eyes appeared to be dilated. I thought they were probably under the influence of street drugs.”

Both men denied taking drugs or drinking before going on duty the night of June 12, when England played the USA in the FIFA World Cup.

A group of around 15 young adults were out celebrating a 19th birthday when the incident occurred.

The court heard how the group were being “rowdy” and spilling drinks while dancing and jumping to the music.

Fortune, of Pennington Road, Litherland, is said to have punched Stephen Rennison, and a melee broke out and spilled into the street as other members of the birthday group tried to quell the violence and other doormen, including Church, came to the aid of their colleague.

Taking the stand, Fortune said the group were throwing punches “from all directions”, and he had to use Mr Rennison as a “shield” to protect himself from the blows.

He said outside in the street, the youngsters were making threats to stab, shoot and kill him.

However, PC Yanez said when he arrived, the young people “didn’t appear to be threatening or causing a nuisance”, and it looked like Church, Fortune and another doorman were the aggressors.